# Checkbook vs Budget Stack

The clearest difference is ads: Budget Stack at none against Checkbook's shown. Budget Stack also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks). Checkbook's advantage is chart position (#155 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Checkbook sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Budget Stack sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Checkbook ships an update every 6 weeks, Budget Stack every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Checkbook | Budget Stack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkbook-account-tracker/id484000695/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Best chart rank | **#155** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beesoft Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1420966143) | [Andrew Williams](https://appshunter.io/developer/6775636242) |

## What reviewers say

### Checkbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkbook-account-tracker/id484000695)

**Currently charting:** #155 Top Grossing · Finance (US App Store)

Manage your daily finances with this app, tracking credit card charges, cash expenditures, and more. It offers multiple accounts, recurring transactions, fund transfers, and detailed reports with graphs. Easily search and export your financial data.

**Highlights:** Multiple account tracking, Recurring transaction saving, Fund transfers between accounts, Export data in CSV, QIF, HTML, Calendar view of transactions, Reports and charts for expenses/income, Passcode protection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium - 1 Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium - 1 Year | $7.99 | per year |
| Premium - 1 Year | $8.99 | per year |
| Premium - 1 Year | $9.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to Checkbook Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Easy to use
- 📊 Helpful charts and reports
- 🔄 Seamless sync across devices
- 🧮 Convenient built-in calculator
- 🗂️ Ability to manage multiple accounts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lacking advanced search/filtering
- 🔁 Recurring transactions issues
- 🔒 Concerns about data security
- 💰 Subscription model too expensive
- 📢 Intrusive ads in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Account balances not updating correctly
- Transactions disappearing or duplicating
- Sync issues between devices
- App crashes or freezes after updates

**Requested features**

- Custom categories and icons
- Budgeting and forecasting tools
- Ability to attach receipts/photos
- Improved account organization options
- Automatic balance reconciliation


### Budget Stack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-stack/id6775636240)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Checkbook free?

Checkbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Budget Stack free?

Budget Stack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Checkbook or Budget Stack have ads?

Checkbook shows ads; Budget Stack does not.

### Which is updated more often, Checkbook or Budget Stack?

Checkbook ships an update every 6 weeks, and Budget Stack every 5 days. Most recently, Checkbook was updated on October 14, 2026 and Budget Stack on October 1, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*